Photograph-holder



2 Sheets'-Sheet; 1,*- Y

(No Model.) 7

J.. M'GAF'FBRTY. l l PHOTOGRAPH HOLDER.

` N0.- 381.154. PatenedrApr; 17, 1338.A y

N. mens. mbmmgnpw. wmnygmglic.

To all whom, tm/ay concern: 7

JULIA` MOAFFERTY, or CHICAGO, ILLI'NoIs.

Prior'oculari-"if-HOLDER.A

SPECIFICATION forming partei Leiters Patent No. 381,154, dated' April 17,1888.'

Beit known .that I, 'JULIA MGAFFERTY, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Photograph-Holders; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear,

and exact description thereof, sufficient to enable any one skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in

which- Figure 1 is a perspectiveview; Fig.' 2, al

vertical longitudinal section; Figs. 3 and 4,de

tached sectional views, showing the construction and mode of operation of the springlevers and actuating-rods. g

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts. y The object of this kinvention is to provide ank ornamental and convenient substitute for the ordinary photographfalbum; 1

The principle of the invention consists in holding the photographs or other cards separately in vertical guides, i-n which they can be raisedinto or depressed out of sight, in connection with locking mechanism by which they can separately be locked down or up, as desired, and springs to assist in raising them when unlocked from their lower position.

The drawings and following'description set forth the best means which I have contemplated employing for the embodiment of this principle. f A The drawings represent a box, A, of any preferred form, having a cover, A', which forms the top or a portion of the` top when the box is in position for displaying the pictures. A

- hinged, sliding, or any othersuitable form of ing frames, and topermit said cards or frames to slide vertically therein. The drawings rep-1 resent thegroovesfasl formed in blocks, one f of which, B, is at the middle of the rear wall,

and the others, BB, at the ends of said wall,

thus accommodating two series of pictures, as

shown in-Figs. l and 2. I employ in connection with these guide-grooves a series of sashes or frames, C C C, each adapted to hold a'card or In the j picture, and'v to slideup andV down likefwindow-sashes, lipscenabling lthe operatorvto .l

readily grasp any ofthe slides for the purpose of raising it in its guides. In one edge ofeachj frame, near its upper andl lower ends, are notches G C', into which locksa bolt or catch,

d, for the purpose of holding the sashdown or up, as the lease may be.

The preferable,construction'of the locking apparatus is shown in Figs. 3' and 4, where it consists of'a right-angular lever, D, pivoted at d',and provided with a projection, d,.which locks` into the frame,l Yas above described.` Springs vE tend to project. the catches d into'- locking contact with the frames, and vertical sliding rods f, provided vwith linger-buttons F,

enable the operator to press down the horizontal arm of the lever and unlock the'catch yfrom the frame whenever he desires. 'Springs y G, of any suitable form, are arranged to exert their force upward against vthe slidesv to raise ,f

them more or less when unlocked. yIn Fig. yl` four of the six slides are shown lockedy down.l

One, in the left-hand series, is shown unlocked ,y

tion a' slight pressure on. the appropriate 1in!l ger-.button unlocks the frame`,whi'chthen falls by gravity to the position indicated by the rear left-hand slide, above referred to,fafter` 8,5 pushes 'it down, so that the lock automatically which a slight downward pressure on the frame *engages and holdsfit down.

It is evident that by making appropriate' .i notchesin the edges ofthe cards themselves,

if they are suiciently stiff, the slide frames' or sashes may be omitted 5y but Iprefer to employ the frames. p y.

' The'box may contain one or morefserie's of card holding and locking devices adapted for y oneV or more sizes of card, as may bepreferred.

The entirebox may be lled with the above= described apparatus, 'or a part of it may be devoted to that purpose, andthe remainder dividedY into suitable compartments or receptacles, El I, for the storage of lcards,pictures,

Ico

or other articles, whichr maybe arranged in y drawers or onshelves or cleats, or otherwise,A as desired. The kwhole isjntended to `be upL bolstered and ornamented astastefor `fancyr may dictate, so as to form a handsome article of furniture for` the parlor, and when closed and locked a secure receptacle for pictures or other articles which it is designed to contain.

While the construction of the sash locking and operating devices may be varied without departing from the general principle of the invention, yet I consider the combination of parts substantially as shown to be most convenient and best for the purpose and to involve inventions subordinate to that of the general plan ,and therefore specificall y claimed as improvements thereon. This specific arrangement brings the push-buttonsin a group at or near the upper ends of the sashes,where they can be operated with great convenience, and the mechanism by which they lock and unlock the pictures is simple, cheap, and not liable to get out of order.

I claim as my invention- Y l. A photograph-holder consisting of a'box or case containing vertical guidegrooves for the cards or frames, combined with springs or their equivalents for raising the frames or cards, automatic locks for locking into the 'vertically-arranged pushrods f, whereby a vertical push upon the rods releases the locks from the frames and allows the corresponding slides to be thrown up or down, substantially as described.

JULIA MCAFFERTY.

Witnesses:

CHAs. S. HILL, L. HILL. 

